Top 13 Things to do in Destin Florida
With its white-sand beaches, glittering Gulf waters, and clear skies most days of the year, Destin is a popular spot for vacationers wanting to laze around in the sun. But for visitors looking for a more active vacation, or just a quick break from the beach, there are plenty of other fun things to do […]
It’s no secret that the white-sand beaches and sparkling Gulf waters along South Walton’s Highway 30-A are irresistible draws for beach-goers. And it’s safe to say that the majority of visitors who enjoy the quaint accommodations, charming shops, and outstanding eateries that give 30-A its unique character tend to return again and again. But no […]
Excitement is growing for the 19th annual 2021 Emerald Coast Blue Marlin Classic at Sandestin. One of the top big-game fishing tournaments in the world, this year’s competition casts off June 23 to 27 in Destin, Florida. The fabulous Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort is hosting the popular sporting event with a $2 million-plus purse. Also, […]
Florida sunshine isn’t the only thing to brighten up your stay at Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort this summer. The vacation hot spot features fun events all season along its gorgeous emerald coastline and Village of Baytowne Wharf – Sandestin Resort’s go-to for shopping, dining, art galleries, and play. Looking for a new cover-up? Have […]
It’s LuLuPalooza Time
Good food, good music, and lots of hand-clapping, head-bobbing, toe-tapping fun. That’s what to expect when the annual LuLuPalooza kicks off on Saturday, May 29, 2021 at LuLu’s Gulf Shores restaurant and marina. Under the guidance of LuLu’s owner Lucy Buffett – yes, she’s Jimmy’s sister – this popular music event regularly brings in some […]
Seven miles of white sand beach and all-new resort rooms and suites at Beaches Negril bring you together like never before for unlimited fun that’s perfectly paradise. The waiting is over. Your nonstop luxury vacation awaits you with open arms at Beaches Negril Resort & Spa, where all-inclusive always delivers unlimited fun. Voted Trip Advisor’s […]
Hangout Fest fans have jammed with some of the hottest new artists on today’s music scene in Gulf Shores, Alabama. Past lineups for this packed three-day event have included Foo Fighters, The Killers, Lenny Kravitz, Marshmello, Beck, Travis Scott, Cardi B, and The Lumineers. Hangout Music Fest’s general admission tickets and the highly recommended three-day […]
Giddy for Graffiti
One of the most popular events on 30A is right around the corner, Digital Graffiti Festival: A Drive-Thru Experience at Alys Beach. Alys Beach gives artists from all over the world the opportunity to display their original work while competing for prize money in a juried art competition. This one-of-a-kind visual and immersive event features […]
Visitors and residents – beware! Fort Walton Beach is bracing for trouble when that infamous pirate, Captain Billy Bowlegs, and his band of merry men stage the invasion of the 65th annual Billy Bowlegs Pirate Festival and Torchlight Parade this spring. But the resulting skirmishes should be fun, not mayhem, when Billy and his Krewe […]
Saxophonist Boney James is among the headliners for the 2021 Seabreeze Jazz Festival. The white sands and emerald waters of Panama City Beach are the backdrop for the 22nd annual Seabreeze Jazz Festival. The five-day festival, scheduled for April 21-25, 2021, at Aaron Bessant Park Amphitheater, has been named one of the Top 10 […]
It’s almost time again to “Uncork Some Fun in the Sun” at the Sandestin Wine Festival, which celebrates its 34th anniversary in 2021. Named the “Best Annual Event” by Destin magazine, the popular festival offers wine lovers the opportunity to sample more than 500 wines from around the world. Guests also have opportunities to interact […]
Winter’s a great time for biking along the Gulf Coast in Northwest Florida and Alabama. The beach is still beautiful, the crowds have gone home, and the temperatures and rental rates have dropped. Best of all, the area offers plenty of paved bike paths that are safe as well as scenic. In fact, all of […]
Continuing what has become a New Year’s tradition on the coast, the Flora-Bama Lounge invites everyone to take a quick dip in the Gulf of Mexico on January 1, 2021. Scores of partiers, some in costume and others wearing nothing but their swimsuits, will gather on the beach outside the iconic roadhouse at high noon […]
More than three million lights will illuminate the skies over Bellingrath Gardens and Home as the Theodore, Alabama, estate celebrates its 26th annual Magic Christmas in Lights. The show, which starts November 27 and runs through January 3, 2021, includes more than 1,100 set pieces and 16 scenes located throughout the 65-acre property. Indeed, so […]
The Best Gumbo in Gulf Shores
With easy-peasy temperatures of the season inviting you out both day and night, taste buds are waking up to the spicier side of life. As you cruise the seashores of beautiful Gulf Shores, a piping hot bowl of gumbo is likely to hit the spot, especially with plenty of proven recipes in town. The tricky […]
The Gulf of Mexico and its white-sand beaches are the backdrop every fall for the Frank Brown International Songwriters’ Festival. Rated one of the top 20 events in the Southeast by the Southeast Tourism Society, the Frank Brown festival showcases the talents of songwriters from around the world. This year, the festival opens November 11 […]
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way we live, play, vacation, and, more than anything, how we work. As more and more people began working remotely, they–and their companies–realized that many jobs can be performed from anywhere. So why not work remotely from the beach? As vacation rental companies had to adapt to a new […]
If you think a mullet is just a bad haircut, you probably haven’t heard about the Flora-Bama Lounge’s Annual Interstate Mullet Toss and Gulf Coast’s Greatest Beach Party. Centerpiece of this tongue-in-cheek Perdido Key event is a strange but satisfying three-day competition. It involves tossing a mullet – a small fish that’s found in abundance in […]
A trip to the beach is the perfect vacation to socially distance, since it’s an outdoor destination where the main attractions are fresh air, sand, and sun. But not everyone is content to just lie on the beach all day – especially if you’re traveling with kids. With some family fun centers, attractions, shops, and […]
More and more people are flocking to the beach as domestic and outdoor tourism rises, which means several coastal areas are seeing an increase in visitors. While the benefit of a beach vacation during the COVID-19 pandemic is that it allows for relatively safe travel, you still don’t want to be around large crowds, even […]
Twice a year, thousands of bikers wheel into Panama City Beach, Florida, for the Thunder Beach Motorcycle Rally. Held in spring (late April or early May) and fall (mid-October), the five-day event is huge, regularly featuring more than 200 vendors and exhibitors. With no gate fees, no admission charges, and no charge for parking, Thunder […]
Fort Morgan Public Boat Launch Fort Morgan’s Public Boat Launch provides courtesy access to the beautiful waters of the Gulf of Mexico. With multiple slips allowing four boats to be launched or retrieved simultaneously, boating enthusiasts can come and go with ease. Ten parking spots allow for individuals or groups to meet for a day […]
You don’t have to be a history buff to enjoy a trip to Fort Morgan. Located on Mobile Point, a little more than 20 miles from Gulf Shores, it’s off the beaten path but definitely worth the trip. Completed in 1834, the fort was designed to control the main ship channel into Mobile Bay, so […]
There are literally hundreds of decisions to be made when planning a wedding. The first one is deciding where you want to get married. For those of us in love with the sugar-white sands of the Gulf Coast, a beach wedding is an ideal way to personalize the celebration. And the icing on the wedding […]
Beach Wedding Checklist
Both romantic and practical, beach weddings are popular with busy couples who want their big day to stand out from the crowd. The white sands and emerald waters of the Gulf of Mexico form a dramatic backdrop that’s guaranteed to make your wedding memorable. Other attractive Gulf Coast beach wedding venues include lush tropical […]
(Reef photos courtesy of Navarre Beach Marine Sanctuary and Navarre Beach Marine Science Station.) Take a look from the balcony of your Navarre beachfront condo or from a beach chair on the sugar-white sands, and there’s no denying that Navarre Beach boasts a natural beauty that stands above most other Northwest Florida vacation destinations. But there […]
On your next trip to Destin, why restrict all your fun to the beach? The Gulf of Mexico is home to thousands of marine creatures, and they offer plenty to explore beyond the water’s edge. But few inhabitants of the Gulf capture the imagination as well as dolphins. With their mouths curved into permanent smiles, […]
Safely exhibited behind the glass of an aquarium, jellyfish, with their fluorescent colors, spots, stripes, and other markings, can be real crowd pleasers. However, a close encounter with a jellyfish in the ocean or on the beach can have painful consequences for vacationers. The good news is that these stinging nuisances, which are found abundantly […]
Where you stay on vacation truly can make or break your experience. Booking a hotel room has been the traditional vacation practice for decades, and it’s an economical choice for a short stay. But vacation rentals – private homes and condominiums, typically located in residential areas – offer a different experience. Rentals not only feel […]
Did you know that seashells belong to the kingdom known as Mollusca? Most Mollusca are soft, slug-like creatures with a hard external shell that helps protect them in their ocean environment. It’s this outer shell that is more commonly known as a seashell. The shell itself is primarily composed of calcium carbonate, which is secreted over time […]
